COMMONITY HEALTH
Year:2015 | Volume:1 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background and Objective: The prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), as one of the health problems, and its complications are increasing. Inadequate physical activity and obesity are the determinants of the incidence of NAFLD. This study aimed to compare physical activity and Body Mass Index (BMI) in both groups of patients with and without NAFLD in Tehran.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 170 outpatients aged 20 to 55 who referred to Taleghani Hospital of Tehran for sonography participated. They were selected using convenience sampling method. Using completing the questionnaires through systematic interviews with individuals, socio-demographic characteristics, complain and the level of physical activity were assessed. Anthropometric measurements and ultrasound were also performed. Data were analyzed using descriptive methods for descriptive data analysis, T-test and Chi-square tests to compare of the means between groups and to determine the relationship between variables.Results: Most patients with NAFLD (60%) had intense level of physical activity and only a small percentage of them (11.3%) had low level of physical activity. While in the group of patients with NAFLD, most people (36.7%) had moderate level of physical activity and 28.9% had low level physical activity. The difference between the level of physical activity in the two groups was significant (p=0.001). The mean (SD) BMI of patients with NAFLD was higher than patients without NAFLD (32.8 (6.6) vs. 24.4 (3)) (p<0.001).Conclusion: Considering the prevalence of obesity and inadequate physical activity in patients with NAFLD, life style change recommended through designing and implementation of educational interventions to increase their knowledge and improve attitude, also physical activity interventions as option with diet to improve clinical status.

Background and Objective: Self-care activities during pregnancy can be effective in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes. Health Belief Model (HBM) is one of the most applicable models in educational need assessment for planning and implementation of educational interventions. The purpose of this study was to measurement of the constructs of HBM related to self-care during pregnancy in women referred to South Tehran health network.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study 270 pregnant women who referred to health centers of South Tehran Health Networks participated. Demographic, knowledge and attitude questionnaires based on constructs of HBM was used to measure the status of knowledge and attitude of women. Data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS18.Results: Results showed that 92.2% of women had the knowledge scores in good level. The scores of perceived severity, perceived self-efficacy and cues to action were in good level in almost of women but almost of women obtained weak point in perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits and barriers.Conclusion: HBM can be used as an appropriate tool for assessment the status of pregnant women in the field of self-care behaviors during pregnancy and planning and implementation of educational interventions.

Background and Objective: Healthy eating in adolescent girls has a crucial role in normal growth and reducing the incidence of chronic disease related to nutrition in adulthood. The purpose of this study was to determine high school girl's eating behaviors in north of Tehran.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 722 female students who were selected randomly from public high schools in four districts of Tehran participated. Demographic variables and nutritional status were evaluated using systematic interviews with them by health professionals. Anthropometric parameters were also assessed.Results: Most girls (42.4%) had a normal BMI. The mean (SD) of daily consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products were 2 (1.1), 1.8 (1), 1.9 (1.07) servings, respectively. The mean (SD) of weekly intake of red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans were 3.08 (2), 3.15 2.9), 0.95 (0.9), 2.6 (2.9) and 2.2 (1.2) times, respectively. The mean (SD) frequency of eating breakfast was 4.9 (2.6) times per week. 16.9% of girls never consumed fast foods. Girls who do not consume salty snacks and fast foods per week, had significantly normal BMI (p<0.05). Low-fat milk consumption, daily consumption breakfast and non consumption of fruits were significantly associated with social status (p<0.05). Do not eating breakfast had significant association with BMI (p<0.05).Conclusion: The consumption of major food groups in this study was lower than the recommended amounts. Further research is needed to determine enabling and reinforcing factors to healthy eating behaviors. Also, improvement attitudes and empowerment of adolescent girls to adopt healthy eating behaviors can be effective.

Background and Objective: In recent years, social determinants of health have received much attention from researchers in the social sciences. One of the major problems of the health sector in developing countries is the unequal distribution of health which leads to inequalities in social status and living conditions of people. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the social determinants of health from the perspective of women with the Thalassemia disease.Materials and Methods: This study is a qualitative and thematic analysis. Participants in the study were 24 women with Thalassemia disease. The sampling method was purposeful. To collect qualitative data observation and participation, semi-structured interviews and study of the documents were used. For data analysis, thematic analysis and Wolcott method were used.Results: Social determinants of health from the perspective of women with thalassemia included economic factors (lack of interest-free banking facilities, health expenditure), social factors (inequality in employment), cultural factors (lack of awareness in society) and health factors (inefficient health services).Conclusion: If the needs of disadvantaged people, women, and patients in the design and management of the health system be considered, health system performance would be desirable.

Background and Objective: Adolescence, period of transition from childhood to adulthood, is time with changes in social, psychological, behavioral, and physical situations. These changes combined with the cultural, social and family backgrounds’ adolescents, can lead to social problems such as social deviations (delinquency).This study aims to compare the components of perceived social support and early maladaptive schemas in adolescents (male and female) delinquent and non delinquent.Materials and Methods: This research was based on comparative and causal method. In this research, 100 delinquent adolescents (80 male and 20 female) using convenience sampling method and 100 nondelinquent adolescents (80 male and 20 female) using Cluster sampling method were selected. They completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) questionnaires and Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF). Data analysis was performed via descriptive statistics (Mean and SD.) and analytic methods such as independent T-test.Results: Delinquent adolescents had higher mean of early maladaptive schemas and instead had lower level of social support. In addition, delinquent boys had higher early maladaptive schemas mean compared to non-delinquent boys and they had different levels of social support. There was a significant difference in perceived social support between delinquent and non-delinquent girls. Also, there was a significant difference between early maladaptive schemas of delinquent and non delinquent girls.Conclusion: The findings showed the importance of providing background for strengthening of social support. Identification of early maladaptive schemas as patterns of emotional and cognitive damage in adolescence can be useful to provide appropriate psychological services to improve the quality of life and increased health-related behaviors of delinquent individual.

Background and Objective: Self- care includes all activities related to health care, prevention and treatment of disease by themselves people and greatly affect by their self-efficacy. Doing it requires adopt behaviors that are influenced by knowledge, perceptions and beliefs of the people towards self care. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude and practice towards self-care in women referred to health centers in Dezful.Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, 550 women aged 18 55 years old participated. They were selected through random-quota sampling. The research data were collected using demographic characteristics, attitude and practice towards self-care. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were provided by content and face validity and internal consistency.Results: The mean (S.D) age of participants was 28.06 (8.89) years. The mean (S.D) scores of attitude and practice towards self-care in women were 15.78 (2.33) and 15.78 (2.66), respectively. The majority of women (61.4% and 71.1%) had attitude and practice scores more than total mean. Correlation test showed that there is a significant relationship between the mean of attitude score towards self-care and age (r=0.14), marriage duration (r=0.12) and number of children (r=0.11) (p<0.05).Conclusion: The findings indicated that although most people were interested in self-care activities, but they did not have appropriate practice towards Self-care.

Background and Objective: Cancers are one of the most important public health issues and the third leading cause of mortality after cardiovascular diseases and injuries in Iran. The most common cancers reported in the recent years have been included skin, stomach, breast, colon, bladder, leukemia, and esophagus respectively. Control of cancer as one of the three main health system priorities of Iran, needs a specific roadmap and clear task definition for involved organizations. This study provides stakeholder analysis include determining the roles of Ministry of Healthand Medical Education as the custodian of the national health and the duties of other beneficiary organizations to reduce the risk of cancer for cooperation with a scientific approach and systematic methodology.Materials and Methods: This health system research project was performed by participation of Social Determinants of Health Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Office of the Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and other stakeholders in 2013. At first, the strategic committee was established and the stakeholders were identified and analyzed. Then the quantitative data were collected by searching in national database concern incidence, prevalence, and burden of all types of cancers. At the last with the qualitative approach, a systematic review of the studies, documents and reports was conducted as well as conversing for the national strategic plans of Iran and other countries and the experts’ views regarding management of the cancer risk factors. In practice, role and responsibilities of each stakeholder were practically analyzed. Then the risk factors identified and the effective evidence-based interventions were determined for each cancer and finally the role of the Ministry of Health were set as the responsible or co-worker and also the role of the other organizations separately clarified in each case.

Background and Objective: Job satisfaction is an important variable in the area of organizational behavior. Without job satisfaction it is not possible to achieve organizational goals. Therefore the purpose of this study was to assess job satisfaction among Shomal health center of Tehran personnel affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.Materials and Methods: This cross- sectional study was a descriptive-analytical one. Shomal health center of Tehran personnel with at least six months of work experience participated in the study. Data were collected by demographic characteristics and the Minnesota Satisfaction questionnaire. Job satisfaction was categorized into six areas and five levels. Reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed through Chronbach’s alpha calculation. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS- 18 software.Results: Two hundreds and Fifty-nine personnel participated in the study. The mean (SD) of overall satisfaction score was 50.1(12.3) from 100. The study showed that job satisfaction of financial facilities and welfare, educational facilities and job promotion, politics and policy management, quality of human relations, Job security and professional social status were 40%, 43.4%, 53.4%, 66.6%, 54.3% and 57.4%, respectively. Statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between gender and occupational field.Conclusion: Improving the physical conditions at workplace, increasing employee participation in decision-making, the relative increase in salary, Encouraging personnel, job promotion and intimate relationships between them can lead to increase job satisfaction among employees.